Charles Onana Explained
Charles Auguste Onana (born 18 February 1964)[1] is a French-Cameroonian political scientist, investigative journalist, essayist, and publisher. He is known for his controversial writings concerning the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Education
A graduate of Sorbonne University,[2] Onana obtained a Ph.D. in political science in 2017 from Jean Moulin University Lyon 3, with a doctoral thesis entitled Rwanda : l'opération Turquoise et la controverse médiatique (1994–2014) (trans: "Rwanda: Opération Turquoise and the Media Controversy (1994–2014).[3]
Rwandan genocide
Since 2002, Onana has published several books about the African Great Lakes region and the tragedies that have affected the four nations that border it: Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda, with particular emphasis on the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Onana has questioned the use of the term "genocide" in reference to the events that took place in Rwanda, and he has accused Paul Kagame of orchestrating the massacre of Tutsis and Hutus as well as the 6 April 1994 downing of the aircraft carrying Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana and Burundian president Cyprien Ntaryamira,[4] a theory he details in his 2002 book Les Secrets du génocide rwandais : enquête sur les mystères d'un président (trans: "secrets of the Rwandan genocide: investigating the mysteries of a president").[5] According to political scientist René Lemarchand, the book reveals few secrets and contains many biases.[6]
In 2004, journalist Christophe Ayad published an article in the French daily Libération, in which he called Onana and the French-Canadian journalist Robin Philpot, who were invited to participate in an international conference on Rwanda at Sorbonne University, "denialists". The authors subsequently filed a defamation suit against Libération.[7]
In 2005, Onana led a conference entitled "Silence on an attack: the scandal of the Rwandan genocide". He proceeded to investigate the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and published a book on the topic the same year, containing information he supposedly obtained from the international jurist Carla Del Ponte.[8] [9]
Onana's 2009 essay "Ces tueurs tutsi au cœur de la tragédie congolaise" (trans. "These Tutsi killers at the heart of the Congolese tragedy") was cited by French historian of genocide Hélène Dumas in an article in which she notes Onana's racist accusations about Tutsi women[10] and his validation of a supposed "plan for the conquest of the Great Lakes of Africa", a false narrative circulating since 1962.[11]
In 2019, Onana published the book Rwanda, la vérité sur l'opération Turquoise (trans. "Rwanda, the truth about Operation Turquoise), in which he declared that "the conspiracy theory of a Hutu regime planning a 'genocide' in Rwanda constitutes one of the biggest scams of the 20th century".[12] In an article for the Fondation Jean-Jaurès think tank, academic Serge Dupuis calls the book an "investigation conducted exclusively to exonerate", very poorly supported by sources, and whose objective is "the pillorying of the RPF" (Rwandan Patriotic Front).[13]
At an international conference held at the French Senate on 9 March 2020 on "60 years of instability in the Great Lakes region of Africa", Onana denounced the French-led 1994 Opération Turquoise and called out the crimes committed by the RPF during and after the genocide, as well as the inertia of the United Nations following the RPF's refusal of any humanitarian intervention in Rwanda.[14] [15]
Legal issues
In 2019, the International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism filed a complaint against Onana for contesting crimes against humanity during a television interview about his book Rwanda, la vérité sur l'opération Turquoise.
Onana was indicted in January 2022, following a complaint filed in 2020 by the non-governmental organizations Survie, International Federation for Human Rights, and Human Rights League for breach of freedom of expression in his denial of crimes against humanity in the book.[16] He was put on trial in October 2024.[17]
The rationale for the trial has been contested by two Nobel Peace Prize laureates, Denis Mukwege[18] and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel.[19]
On 4 October 2024, Onana filed a complaint against the current Rwandan head of state, Paul Kagame, with the Paris public prosecutor, following "public threats" made against him.[20]
Other activities
Onana is the manager of Éditions Duboiris, the publishing house that has issued most of his books.[21]
He has written on the role and actions of African soldiers during the Second World War,[22] [23] on René Maran,[24] on Josephine Baker and her involvement in counter-espionage on behalf of Charles de Gaulle from 1940,[25] on the involvement of the charitable organization Zoé's Ark in the 2007 kidnapping of 103 minors in Chad (co-written with the Chadian politician Ngarlejy Yorongar),[26] on the downfall of the former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo,[27] on the diplomatic relations between France, Israel, and the PLO during the tenure of former French president François Mitterrand,[28] and on Jean-Bédel Bokassa.
None of his books have been translated into English.[29]
Recognition
In 2018, Onana was awarded the Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza Democracy and Peace Prize (together with Canadian radio broadcaster Phil Taylor) by the International Women's Network for Democracy and Peace in Belgium for his work on "the reconciliation of people through dialogue, respect for the human person, and social justice in the African Great Lakes region".
Publications
- Bokassa : ascension et chute d'un empereur (1921–1996) : une enquête qui dévoile la face cachée du pouvoir sous Giscard et Mitterrand, Éditions Duboiris (1998)
- Les Secrets du génocide rwandais : enquête sur les mystères d'un président with Déo Mushayidi, Duboiris (2002)
- Enquêtes interdites, Duboiris, 2002
- La France et ses tirailleurs. Enquête sur les combattants de la République, Duboiris (2003)
- Les secrets de la justice internationale : enquêtes truquées sur le génocide rwandais foreword by Pierre Péan, Duboiris (2005)
- Silence sur un attentat, Duboiris (2005)
- L'Édition menacée : livre blanc sur l'édition indépendante (foreword by Gilles Perrault), Duboiris (2006)
- Pourquoi la France brûle, la racaille parle, Duboiris (2006)
- Joséphine Baker contre Hitler : la star noire de la France, Duboiris (2006)
- Noirs Blancs Beurs 1940–1945 : libérateurs de la France (foreword by Richard Bohringer), Duboiris (2006)
- Une vie de Lion (with Roger Milla, foreword by Pelé, afterword by Sepp Blatter), Duboiris (2006)
- Un racisme français : le communautarisme blanc menace la République (with Frédérique Mouzer and Kofi Yamgnane), Duboiris (2007)
- René Maran : le premier Goncourt noir 1887–1960, Duboiris (2007)
- Les voyous de l'arche de Zoé : enquête sur un kidnapping d'enfants, Duboiris (2008)
- Ces tueurs tutsi au cœur de la tragédie congolaise (foreword by Cynthia McKinney), Duboiris (2009)
- Al-Bashir & Darfour : la contre-enquête, Duboiris (2010)
- Côte d'Ivoire : le coup d'État (foreword by Thabo Mbeki), Duboiris (2011)
- Europe, Crimes et Censure au Congo, Duboiris (2012)[30]
- France–Côte d'Ivoire : la rupture, Duboiris (2013)
- La France dans la terreur rwandaise, Duboiris (2014)
- Palestine, le malaise français, Duboiris (2015)
- Pourquoi combattre ? (contributor; edited by Pierre-Yves Rougeyron),[31] Éditions Perspectives Libres (2018)
- Rwanda, la vérité sur l'opération Turquoise, L'Artilleur (2019) [32]
- Bokassa : vie et dernières confidences, Duboiris (2020)
- Enquêtes sur un attentat – Rwanda 6 avril 1994 (foreword by Adolfo Pérez Esquivel), L'Artilleur (2021)
- Holocauste au Congo : l'omerta de la communauté internationale (foreword by Charles Millon), L'Artilleur (2023)
Notes and References
- Web site: Notice de personne . catalogue.bnf.fr . 15 October 2024 . fr . Personal information.
- Web site: Charles Onana : "La guerre au Congo, c'est une guerre sans images" . sudradio.fr . 7 June 2023 . 15 October 2024 . fr . Charles Onana: "The war in Congo is a war without images".
- Web site: ONANA Auguste Charles . univ-lyon3.fr . 15 October 2024 . fr.
- Web site: Ainsi va l'Afrique . 11 December 2005 . 15 October 2024 . fr . This is how Africa goes.
- Web site: Les Secrets du génocide rwandais : enquête sur les mystères d'un président . monde-diplomatique.fr . October 2002 . 15 October 2024 . fr . Secrets of the Rwandan Genocide: Investigating the Mysteries of a President.
- Web site: Rwanda : état des recherches . sciencespo.fr . 19 November 2018 . 15 October 2024 . fr . Rwanda: state of research.
- Web site: Le journaliste Charles Onana attaque le quotidien "Libération" . grioo.com . 18 February 2005 . 15 October 2024 . fr . Journalist Charles Onana attacks the daily newspaper "Libération".
- Web site: Rwanda: Charles Onana – Auteur du livre « Les secrets de la justice internationale ». . allafrica.com . 3 March 2009 . 15 October 2024 . fr . Rwanda: Charles Onana – Author of the book "The secrets of international justice". . subscription.
- Book: Les secrets de la justice internationale : Enquetes truquées sur le génocide rwandais . .
- Web site: Épisode 3/4 : Les intellectuels du négationnisme . radiofrance.fr . 8 April 2020 . 15 October 2024 . fr . Episode 3/4: The intellectuals of denialism.
- Dumas . Hélène . 2010 . Banalisation, révision et négation : la « réécriture » de l'histoire du génocide des Tutsi . Esprit . May . 5 . 85–102 . 10.3917/espri.1005.0085 . 1 October 2024 . L'inexorable enchaînement» de l'histoire s'appuie également sur une explication cachée, secrète, cryptique. La théorie du complot tutsi mondial n'est pas nouvelle. On en trouve des récurrences dans la propagande extrémiste. Mais là encore, la vulgate raciste n'a rien perdu de sa vigueur. Ainsi, en 2009, Charles Onana rend compte de la guerre au Congo en exhibant un « Plan de conquête de l'Afrique des Grands lacs ». Les menées conquérantes des Tutsi ne datent pas d'hier puisque le fameux plan aurait été défini en 1962 à Nyamitaba au Zaïre. C'est le journal Kangura qui nous offre la meilleure mise en contexte de ce « document ». Il vise à réveiller la vigilance des Bahutu en leur montrant la ruse et la perfidie caractéristiques des Batutsi qui, nantis de leurs femmes et de leur argent, travaillent à imposer leur suprématie sur l'Afrique des Grands lacs. (Trans.: The "inexorable chain" of history also relies on a hidden, secret, cryptic explanation. The theory of the global Tutsi conspiracy is not new. It is found in extremist propaganda. But here again, the racist vulgate has lost none of its vigor. Thus, in 2009, Charles Onana reported on the war in Congo by exhibiting a "Plan for the conquest of the Great Lakes of Africa". The Tutsi's conquests are not new since the famous plan was supposedly defined in 1962 in Nyamitaba in Zaire. It is the newspaper Kangura that offers us the best contextualization of this "document". It aims to awaken the vigilance of the Hutu by showing them the cunning and perfidy characteristic of the Tutsi who, equipped with their women and their money, work to impose their supremacy on the African Great Lakes..
- Web site: Un étrange et problématique colloque sur l'Afrique des Grands Lacs au Sénat . la-croix.com . 8 March 2020 . 15 October 2024 . fr . A strange and problematic symposium on the Great Lakes of Africa in the Senate.
- Web site: Charles Onana et la vérité sur l'opération Turquoise : lecture critique . jean-jaures.org . 31 August 2020 . 15 October 2024 . fr . Charles Onana and the truth about Operation Turquoise: a critical reading.
- Web site: Au Sénat, un colloque sur le génocide des Tutsi provoque la colère de la communauté rwandaise . lemonde.fr . 10 March 2020 . 15 October 2024 . fr . In the Senate, a conference on the Tutsi genocide provokes the anger of the Rwandan community.
- Web site: Génocide au Rwanda : la présence de "négationnistes" au Sénat français fait polémique . france24.com . 9 March 2020 . 15 October 2024 . fr . Genocide in Rwanda: the presence of "denialists" in the French Senate causes controversy.
- Web site: Charles Onana mis en examen . survie.org . 2 April 2022 . 15 October 2024 . fr . Charles Onana indicted.
- Web site: Génocide des Tutsis au Rwanda : à son procès, Charles Onana accusé de «dépasser les limites de la liberté d'expression» . rfi.fr . 17 May 2019 . 12 October 2024 . fr . Genocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda: at his trial, Charles Onana accused of "exceeding the limits of freedom of expression".
- Web site: Le procès Onana fait la honte de la France (Mukwege) . ouragan.cd . 9 October 2024 . 15 October 2024 . fr . The Onana trial brings shame to France (Mukwege).
- Web site: After Denis Mukwege, Argentine Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel supports Charles Onana . econewsrdc.com . 14 October 2024 . 15 October 2024.
- Web site: France : une plainte déposée à Paris contre Kagame pour menace de mort contre l'écrivain Charles Onana . mediacongo.net . 7 October 2024 . 15 October 2024 . fr . France: Complaint filed in Paris against Kagame for death threats against writer Charles Onana.
- Chrétien . Jean-Pierre . 2005 . Dix ans après le génocide des Tutsis au Rwanda . Le Temps des médias . 5 . 2 . 59 . 10.3917/tdm.005.0059 . 15 October 2024 . Jean-Pierre Chrétien indique en 2005 que "Les « éditions Duboiris » où Charles Onana a publié ses ouvrages et ceux des auteurs qui lui sont proches sur le Rwanda et le Congo, sont en fait une SARL monopersonnelle de M. Onana lui-même" et mentionne "Le caractère plutôt confidentiel de cette maison, non répertoriée dans les listings professionnels habituels, ni même dans l'annuaire" (Trans.: "Jean-Pierre Chrétien indicated in 2005 that "Éditions Duboiris", where Charles Onana published his works and those of authors close to him on Rwanda and the Congo, are in fact a single-person Private limited company of Mr. Onana himself" and mentioned "The rather confidential nature of this house, not listed in the usual professional listings, nor even in the directory".
- Web site: Charles Onana commente son livre sur les "tirailleurs sénégalais" . grioo.com . 3 January 2004 . 16 October 2024 . fr . Charles Onana comments on his book on the "Senegalese riflemen".
- Charles Onana, La France et ses tirailleurs. Enquête sur les combattants de la République, Paris, Éditions Duboiris, 2003; and Noirs Blancs Beurs Libérateurs de la France. Les visages de la France Libre, foreword by Richard Bohringer, Paris, Éditions Duboiris, 2005
- Book: René Maran – le premier Goncourt noir (1887–1960) . . fr . René Maran – The first black Goncourt (1887–1960).
- Web site: C'était Joséphine Baker . jeuneafrique.com . 29 May 2006 . 15 October 2024 . fr . It was Josephine Baker.
- Book: Les voyous de l'Arche de Zoé – enquêtes sur un kidnapping d'enfants . . fr . The Thugs of Zoe's Ark – Investigations into a Child Kidnapping.
- Book: Côte d'Ivoire, le coup d'État . . fr . Ivory Coast, the coup d'état.
- Book: Palestine, le malaise français . . fr . Palestine, the French malaise.
- Web site: Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza Democracy and Peace Prize Awarded to Charles Onana and Phil Taylor . blackagendareport.com . 14 March 2018 . 16 October 2024.
- Web site: Charles Onana: « L'Union européenne censure l'implication du Rwanda dans la crise congolaise » . jambonews.net . 5 December 2012 . 16 October 2024 . fr . Charles Onana: "The European Union censors Rwanda's involvement in the Congolese crisis".
- Web site: Pourquoi Combattre ? Sous la direction de Pierre-Yves Rougeyron . cerclearistote.fr . 16 October 2024 . fr . Why Fight? Edited by Pierre-Yves Rougeyron.
- Web site: Rétablir la vérité sur l'Opération Turquoise . causeur.fr . 16 November 2019 . 16 October 2024 . fr . Restoring the truth about Operation Turquoise.